JP2007510817A - Fabrics and footwear products treated with sulfur - Google Patents

Abstract

  According to the present invention, there is provided a substance capable of inhibiting the unpleasant odor of the foot, and this substance consists of elemental sulfur, preferably elemental sulfur. It can be advantageously applied to socks, stockings, or any other fabric or footwear product intended to contact (directly or indirectly) the part to be deodorized. In order to achieve this purpose, the active ingredient is realized with the aim of realizing stable fixation to the support, the active ingredient being released continuously over time and even after subsequent washing. Is blended with other substances.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the use of substances that can completely eliminate the odor of foot when applied to socks, stockings, and footwear products, particularly but not exclusively. Accordingly, the present invention also extends to fabrics, footwear, or public health products that are treated with the materials.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is well known that our feet may emit an unpleasant odor when they take off their footwear, especially after a full day. This phenomenon is even more perceivable if the shoe used is made of rubber or, in any case, a synthetic material that prevents evaporation. After a certain period of use, the shoe tends to soak in the odor, and therefore tends to be a source of an unpleasant odor itself.

  There is currently no truly effective treatment for this troublesome inconvenience. In fact, few of the products available on the market today attenuate some of the unpleasant odors, and so the significant improvements resulting from the use of these products cannot be truly evaluated. Therefore, the problem of unpleasant odors has not been solved until today.

  According to various studies related to this, the unpleasant odor emitted by the foot grows in an anaerobic environment and is especially suitable for the third, fourth and fifth toes at body temperature. It has been shown to be due to a specific type of fungus known as Tinea pedis, found in the interstices. In fact, this is the least exposed and less ventilated area of the foot, here rooting and withstanding the moisture that comes from both sweating and washing the same foot.

  Humidity, and consequently the fungal growth and the unpleasant smell that the fungus emits, obviously increases as sweating increases. The intensity of sweating is not only related to the individual predisposition, but also to the type of shoes that are clearly worn. Sport shoes tend to interfere with evaporation, and especially the abundant perspiration derived therefrom, combined with anaerobic environment and temperature conditions (about 37 ° C., ie equal to body temperature), are especially associated with the growth of chinea pedis It is known to be a favorable situation.

  Applicants have now outlined above by identifying active ingredients that can completely inhibit the growth of this fungus, and therefore can also completely eliminate the unpleasant odor resulting from foot sweating. I found a completely effective solution to the problem.

  According to the present invention, the substance capable of inhibiting the unpleasant odor is composed of elemental sulfur, preferably elemental sulfur. In this form, it is preferably applied to socks, stockings or any other fabric or footwear product intended to be in direct or indirect contact with the part to be deodorized. In order to achieve this purpose, the active ingredient is realized with the aim of realizing a stable fixation to the support, the active ingredient being released continuously over time and even after a series of washings. Is blended with other substances.

  The socks treated as described herein eliminates annoying odors from the feet even after a tough day using sports shoes. An experimental test carried out on a person who is particularly prone to this type of problem wearing treatment socks for this purpose demonstrated the complete disappearance of an unpleasant odor. Furthermore, repeated sock washing did not cause perceptible deodorant properties to collapse. None of the tests revealed any type of allergic signs to the wearer's toxics.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments, which are given for illustrative purposes only and should be considered limiting in any way is not.

  As already suggested above, the present invention provides an article of footwear that is in direct or indirect contact with the foot, and therefore of socks, stockings, shoes, in order to obtain an article of footwear that does not smell unpleasant during use. In the preparation of deodorizing compositions used to treat the insole, find the most practical and practical application (although this is not the only one). In all these cases, the treatment is preferably performed before it is marketed, and in the case of the sole, upper part, or other part of the shoe, before or during the actual production of the shoe. Performed by the manufacturer of the article.

A simple example of a deodorizing composition for applying an active ingredient to a sock consists of an aqueous solution comprising:
0.2 to 0.3 g / l of wettable elemental sulfur (active ingredient), preferably refined elemental sulfur;
10-20 g / l of resin, for example silicon resin;
10-20 g / l of cationic surfactant, such as a common die fixative;
2 to 5 g / l softener, for example Henkel (R) softener that gives off a fragrance.

  The sock to be treated is immersed for several minutes in a bath prepared in this way, at about 40 ° C. if a textile material comprising wool is involved, or about 90 ° C. for other materials. However, the treatment time and temperature, the formulation of the composition may also vary depending on the specific machine used. The indications provided above are considered optimal when, for example, treating with a centrifugal washer. The treatment is completed by performing it once more at a temperature that can vary depending on the type of fabric fibers, with the simple aspects of rinsing, drying and centrifuging. Furthermore, the water bath can be replaced by an aspect in which the composition is sprayed onto the article by a known type of ejection device.

  Alternatively, the active ingredient may also be applied before the garment articles are actually produced, i.e. to the original fabric from which these articles are produced. This includes, for example, an active ingredient in an emulsified form of 5 to 10 g / l together with a nonionic surfactant, an emulsified acrylic resin of 3 to 5 g / l, and in the case of wool-based fabrics, slightly with acetic acid. It can be carried out in a continuous mode of operation by acidification (pH = 5) or, in the case of cellulose-based fabrics, by impregnation with a Foulard machine using a neutral pH bath. After squeezing, the fabric is dried on a “Rameuse” machine at a temperature of at least about 150 ° C. necessary to ensure polymerization of the acrylic resin.

  In the composition suggested above, the resin clearly has the basic function of fixing the active ingredient to the fabric fibers, retaining the ingredient and thus making it resistant to subsequent washing. In the micronized state, sulfur is released very slowly, thus ensuring its deodorizing action over time. Neither silicon nor acrylic resins cause appreciable changes in the flexibility characteristics of the fibers and are therefore particularly suitable for this purpose. However, other types of resins can be used, and butadiene-based resins that are even blended in appropriate proportions are also good examples.

  In the case of a material based on wool, it is preferable to use a resin that can be polymerized at a low temperature, such as one having a radical polymerization mechanism. In either case, the softening agent can help attenuate potential curing problems that result from the presence of the resin. The surfactant apparently contributes to increasing the fixing force of the sulfur to the fiber material.

  Application to fabric fibers represents a particularly advantageous reduction to the practice of the invention, for example, typically according to the manner described above. This is also because it ensures the optimum efficacy of the deodorizing action, without any change in the appearance or the original flexibility of the support material, which is also completely odorless. However, this application can also be carried out according to different formats, in particular for different materials of interest and therefore for different machines used. For example, the latter includes so-called “Dutch machines” where the movement of the bath is gentler and therefore physical changes in the material consisting of wool fibers are avoided.

  As already mentioned, another possible and advantageous use of the present invention is in particular by treating a fabric lining on the insole of a shoe intended to come into contact with the foot according to one of the aforementioned modes. Assume the application of a sulfur-based composition directly to shoes. Alternatively or in addition, the elemental sulfur can be mixed with an adhesive used to secure the fabric lining to the shoe insole substrate (generally polyurethane).

  In general, in the public health field, deodorizing creams for topical use are composed of elemental sulfur or a substance based on elemental sulfur and petrolatum or lanolin in an appropriate ratio to obtain the required density and uniformity. It can be obtained by mixing. According to a typical composition, for example, about 3% by weight of elemental sulfur is mixed with an equal proportion of petrolatum and lanolin. Deodorizing properties can also be imparted to the strip and the shrinkable bandage according to one of the methods described above for securing the active ingredient to the fabric material.

  In any case, the particular application procedure underlying the preferred embodiment should not be understood as a limiting feature of the invention. In its most general expression, in fact, the present invention is able to inhibit the growth of fungi that generate nasty odors of the foot, and without causing any undesirable effects on the wearer regarding intolerance or allergic reactions. It is to identify an active ingredient that can completely disappear even if it is in a shoe. It should also be noted that the active ingredient in question, apart from being inactive, does not interact with sebaceous secretions and is therefore perfectly tolerated from a hygienic and public health perspective. is there.

  Therefore, the protective scope of the present invention includes any use of elemental sulfur for foot deodorization, but without departing from the scope, footwear products such as yarns, clothes of various compositions, stockings, socks, etc. Can be modified and / or changed in the procedure for its application to fabric products such as

Claims (19)

  A method of treating the odor of a human foot using an active deodorizing component, characterized in that the active component consists of elemental sulfur or in any case a substance capable of liberating elemental sulfur.   The method according to claim 1, wherein the active ingredient is utilized for treating or partially or fully impregnating fabrics and / or footwear products intended for footwear.   In addition to the active ingredient, the fabric product is treated or impregnated with a composition comprising a resin that can stably fix the active ingredient to the product and gradually release it over time. The method according to claim 2.   4. The method of claim 3, wherein the active ingredient and the resin are distributed in a non-aqueous composition, and the product is impregnated or sprayed with the non-aqueous composition.   5. A method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the active ingredient and the resin are distributed in a water bath in which the product is immersed.   The active ingredient in the water bath has a concentration of 0.3 to 1.0 g / l, the resin is a silicon resin, and has a concentration of about 10 to 20 g / l. 6. The method of claim 5, also comprising cationic surfactants and softeners having a concentration of 10-20 g / l and about 2-5 g / l.   The method of claim 6, wherein the water bath is at a temperature of at least 40 ° C.   The active ingredient has a concentration of 5-10 g / l and is emulsified with a nonionic surfactant, the resin is an emulsified acrylic resin and has a concentration of about 3-5 g / l, 6. The bath according to claim 5, wherein the bath has a slightly acidic pH with acetic acid in the case of wool based products or a neutral pH in the case of cellulose based products. Method.   The method of claim 8, wherein the fabric product is squeezed after the bath and dried at a temperature of at least about 150 ° C. to polymerize the acrylic resin.   The method of claim 2, wherein the active ingredient is mixed with an adhesive utilized to match the shoe or part thereof.   The method according to claim 1, wherein the active ingredient is wettable fine sulfur.   A composition for deodorizing a human foot using an active deodorizing component, wherein the active component is elemental sulfur.   In addition to the active ingredient, a fabric and / or footwear intended to be worn on the foot, including a resin that can stably fix the active ingredient to the product and gradually release it over time. 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the product can be used for partial or complete treatment.   14. The method of claim 13, comprising the active ingredient and the resin dispensed in the water bath in which the product is immersed.   The active ingredient has a concentration of 0.3-1.0 g / l, the resin is a silicon resin, has a concentration of about 10-20 g / l, and the water baths also have about 10-20 g each. 15. The method of claim 14 also comprising cationic surfactants and softeners having a concentration of / l and about 2-5 g / l.   The active ingredient has a concentration of 5-10 g / l and is emulsified with a nonionic surfactant, the resin is an emulsified acrylic resin, has a concentration of about 3-5 g / l, 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the bath has a slightly acidic pH with acetic acid in the case of wool-based products or a neutral pH in the case of cellulose-based products. .   13. The method of claim 12, wherein the composition is a deodorizing cream for topical application comprising about 3 wt% elemental sulfur mixed with equal proportions of petrolatum and lanolin.   The method according to claim 12, wherein the active ingredient is wettable micronized sulfur.   A fabric and / or footwear product fully or partially impregnated or treated with a composition according to any one of claims 12-18.